The Podcast

Chapter 17

Sunday Morning

Akari adjusts her oversized Prada sunglasses and flips her silky straight black hair over one shoulder. This is their unofficial meeting place. He'll be here soon. Always late but never one to flake. It's more than Akari can expect from most people in LA.

She pulls out her phone, careful to keep the brightness down. Not that anyone is looking. It's the paranoia settling in, the awareness that she's really crossed the line now.

Her shades slide down the shallow bridge of her nose. Ina Glaser had responded yesterday evening, just a few hours after Akari sent the email.

"This better be good, sweetheart." Benny flops down into the chair opposite Akari like he can't stand the weight of his body for another second, "I'll be honest, I have half a mind to think I'm still high from last night."

"Control yourself, you're embarrassing me." Akari snaps off her sunglasses and folds them neatly into her purse.

"Oh please, I made you." Benny raises his hand to get the attention of a waiter. "I'll have a double espresso please. Oh, and a croissant, chocolate."

"I thought you weren't eating gluten."

"And I thought you found a doctor to remove that stick from your ass." Benny smiles sweetly and places his phone down on the table. Taking photos is strictly prohibited at The Ivy. Only desperate Instagram influencers dare to attempt it.

"Ina responded." Akari steeples her fingers, arching one brow.

"Well I sure as hell hope so, seeing as you dragged my ass out of some delicious wannabe actor's bed this morning."

"Jesus, when will you date someone who's actually in your league?"

"I just love a discovery story! I want to be there before they make it, you know?"

"Ridiculous." Akari rolls her eyes before continuing, her voice serious. "They're onto her."

"You don't know that."

"They interviewed all of us. On a Saturday. Don't be ridiculous, Benny. We knew this would happen at some point."

"Well to be fair, we didn't know. We might be Libras but we're not clairvoyant. I still don't think she actually did it."

"Whether she had the knife in her hand or not, she's guilty by association. It's benefitted us to this point, but controversy that dark is bound to turn at some point. My bet is that the LAPD has finally found something. Big."

"You've changed your stripes rather quickly. It wasn't that long ago that you were still defending her. She is your most successful client after all."

"Perhaps," Akari nods once, "but not for long."

"Oh?"

"Romi approached me. Officially. Well, no signature on the dotted line yet but all we have to do is say the word."

"We?"

"A package deal, Benny. Romi wants you too. The fall of Sumner will put Half-Jewish on top. And she's an Amar after all, the opportunities are endless."

"And Ina agrees?" Benny greedily bites into his croissant just as the waiter sets it on the table, his face slacking with pleasure as if he hasn't eaten in days.

"Yes," Akari drums her fingers on the table, "at least enough to be wary. She said this situation will be 'top of mind' for her over the coming weeks."

"Oh my! To have the Queen's ear."

"Look, you're not taking this seriously enough. This could be career ending for us if I wasn't pulling the strings I'm pulling. I'm telling you, the sentiment is about to flip. And we both know it's like a disease...once the sentiment flips, it fucking flips." Akari smacks the back of her hand on the table as she makes her point.

"Ooo, how very method of you."

"Benny."

"Look, I get it, I get it. I hear you." Benny puts his hand up in mock surrender before sipping his doppio. "It's not like I'm looking to be the baby tossed out with the bathwater. If our lifeboat is the Half-Jewish, that's a yacht ride you can sign me up for. I just think this may be a little cart before the horse."

"You know I don't do cavalier. I always have to be three steps ahead."

"This is true." Benny chews another flaky piece of croissant. "Consider me in. But you have to admit one thing."

"God, what?"

"That detective? The one who interviewed us—Lucas Saba or whatever—he's hot."

"Dear Lord, Benny."

"Nope! You have to admit it."

"I'm gay."

"Gay but not blind." Benny wiggles his eyebrows teasingly.

"Fine," Akari crosses her arms across her chest, willing to humor Benny for a moment if it gets him onboard. "I guess I can see how someone who's into the whole gruff, brazen, overly-masculine, hasn't-shaved-in-days look could find him attractive."

"Well if that isn't an Akari Zimmerman compliment, I'm not sure what is." Benny chuckles, polishing off his espresso. "I'm in."